Shaughnessy holds his nerve to book final spot

Connacht Schools Senior Cup semi-final/Colaiste Iognaid 11 Garbally College 9: Reigning champions Coláiste Iognáid, bidding to put Connacht Senior Cup titles back-to-back for the first time since 1928, produced a superb second-half display to reach this year's final.

Garballly College, the most prolific winners of the competition with 43 triumphs, were on top for most of the first half but the scoreboard did not reflect this.

Bidding for their first crown since 2001, not even home advantage at Garbally Park was sufficient to swing matters in their favour as they succumbed in the second half.

Coláiste Iognáid got a good start when outhalf Ross Shaughnessy landed a ninth-minute penalty but Garbally took over after that with Paul Loughnane, the Galway minor hurling full back, superb at number eight, while Robert O'Beirne, John O'Brien and Seán Carey provided a cutting edge behind the pack.

However, the Coláiste Iognáid defence held firm, restricting Garbally to a 6-3 interval lead after O'Beirne landed two penalties.

He landed a third six minutes after the restart, but the Galway city school regrouped and their pack, ably led by skipper Hugh O'Donnellan and flanker Gavin Hartigan, took control.

They mauled their way over for the game's only try after 48 minutes following a lineout drive on the right, with O'Donnellan getting the touchdown.

Coláiste Iognáid piled on the pressure after that and it told nine minutes from time when Garbally were penalised and Shaughnessy slotted the match-winning penalty and set up a final date with either Sligo Grammar or Clifden Community School.

SCORERS: Coláiste Iognáid - H Donnellan try; R Shaughnessy two penalties; Garbally College - R O'Beirne three penalties.

COLÁISTE IOGNÁID: E Farragher; C Connolly, C Moyler, R Varley, P Cuddy; R Shaughnessy, H Griffin; A Collins, M Nolan, C Ryan; J Browne, R de Faoite; G Hartigan, D Murphy, H Donnellan. Replacement: S O'Maille for Collins (70 mins).

GARBALLY COLLEGE: N Dolan; C Loughrey, S Carey, J O'Brien, P O'Toole; R O'Beirne, C Murtagh; T English, B Gibbons, JJ Carey; D Coen, R Gilligan; C King, E Cullinane, P Loughnane. Replacements: D Fenton for English (39 mins); J Barrett for Gilligan (41 mins); D Moore for Murtagh (47 mins); M Ward for Carey.

Referee: D Connolly